Everton manager Sean Dyche has expressed his desire to remain at the club beyond this season, despite growing uncertainty surrounding his future as new ownership looms. Dyche’s contract at Goodison Park is set to expire next summer, and with The Friedkin Group’s impending takeover of Everton, the manager faces an unclear path ahead.
The American group, owners of AS Roma, struck a deal on Monday to acquire majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1% stake in Everton, pending regulatory approval. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the change in ownership, Dyche remains determined to stay and lead the club into its new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
“Of course I want to stay,” Dyche said when asked about his future. “What, dig this out for 21 months, or whatever it will be by then, for them to go: ‘Thanks for looking after us, off you pop’? Of course I would [like to stay].”
However, Dyche acknowledged that his future is far from guaranteed, as the new owners may decide to go in a different direction. “There is no divine right that they will say: ‘You are definitely the person to do this,’” he admitted. “And, if not, that’s the way it goes.”
Dyche emphasized that while he cannot control the new ownership’s decisions, he can control his own effort. “I don’t guarantee anything. What I do guarantee is hard work. I can’t guarantee that I am here, I can’t guarantee they finish off the ownership deal. I can’t guarantee they put £100m in or £10m. All I can guarantee is my own hard work, helping others the best I can and trying to balance out the situation.”
The former Burnley and Watford manager is no stranger to being dismissed following ownership changes, as he previously lost his job at both clubs under similar circumstances. However, Dyche remains unfazed by the possibility of history repeating itself at Everton, even in light of The Friedkin Group’s swift dismissal of Daniele De Rossi at Roma, just four games into a new season.
“Until they give a feel or a steer on it, everything is conjecture,” Dyche said. Reflecting on his experience at Watford, he added, “I did a great job at Watford: finished 11th, brought in £4M worth of players, spent £1M, and got removed because it was a complete change of business. I respected it. I didn’t get removed because I had done a good or bad job, I just got removed because their whole business model was different.”
Dyche remains uncertain about how The Friedkin Group will approach Everton but is prepared for whatever direction they choose to take. “I don’t know what their business model is yet, and no one really does,” he said. “I don’t know the Italian league and their depth of football clubs, but I imagine that it’s a different feel, a different club, and a different culture to what it will be here.”